education views EPIC informs public

views
education
SPRING 2010
U NI V ER S I T Y OF COLORADO AT BOULDE R
EPIC informs public
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
High-quality research keeps
policy issues at the fore
If you Google the term “education policy,” you’ll
get more than 2.4 million hits. These policies
affect our daily lives, and they are the subject of
constant tinkering by politicians. But how does
one wade through this clutter? The Education
and the Public Interest Center (EPIC) at the University of Colorado at Boulder provides a unique
and growing resource for analyzing and digesting
important policy issues.
Founded nearly a decade ago with the narrow
but crucial goal of providing a central location to
house policy work generated by CU-Boulder School
of Education faculty, EPIC has evolved into a nationally prominent source for information about education policy issues. Reporters and policymakers seek
out the Center’s expertise, and the Center’s work has
been cited by publications such as The Washington
Post and The Wall Street Journal. EPIC Director Kevin
Welner stresses that the public and policymakers must
“understand what research tells us, otherwise there is
no way for research to guide policy.”
Welner, a professor in the School’s Educational
Foundations, Policy, and Practice (EFPP) program,
attributes much of the Center’s rapid growth to
its partnership with Arizona State University’s
Education Policy Research Unit (EPRU). Publications
are generally released by the combined entity:
EPIC/EPRU.
EPIC’s distinctive approach to education policy
research resulted in a recent $1 million grant from
Among the CU faculty who have authored briefs and reviews for EPIC are, from left, Professors Ed Wiley,
Derek Briggs, Ken Howe, and Greg Camilli.
the Ford Foundation over a three-year period to
bring the research base into discussions about racial
diversity and school success. The School recently
hired Nikki McCord to work with Welner in leading
this effort, called the Initiative on Diversity, Equity,
and Learning (IDEAL). McCord hopes to continue
the efforts started by Welner with EPIC. Through
IDEAL, she seeks to carry on the crucial discussion
regarding the significance of racial diversity and its
importance to successful students and schools.
One of EPIC/EPRU’s great strengths is its
Fellows, a group of 100 accomplished academics
who hail from colleges and universities across the
country. “What we’re doing is unique,” said Welner.
“Our organization is dedicated to helping some of
the nation’s top academic experts on education
policy topics translate their knowledge into messages more easily understood by policymakers, the
media, and the public. This approach appeals to a
lot of people who decide to enter this field precisely
because they think that the public schooling enterprise is vital to the nation’s future.
“It’s an amazingly accomplished group,” says
Welner. “But we advance as academics typically
by speaking to each other through professional
journals and at conferences. That’s not enough for
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
IN THIS ISSUE
EYE ON
RESEARCH
DEAN’S COLUMN
POLICYMAKING PROGRESS .....................................2
DEVELOPMENT
PLANNED GIVING.....................................................4
Disproportionate
representation in
special education—5
LEW ROMAGNANO TRIBUTE TO ALUMNUS ...................................................7
Message
from the
Dean
educa
“The Boulder school choice study had an immediate and
substantial impact on policy and practice. . .”
School of Education have worked to craft a distinctive national identity through research focused on
learning and educational policy, in schools and in outof-school contexts. In this issue, you see examples of
policy researchers like Professor Kevin Welner, whose
research agenda is set by identifying pressing policy
problems and then either undertaking his own original research or crafting clear presentations of existing
research, all designed to bring the best information to
the public and policymakers.
ity in special education, is an example of a policy
researcher with expertise in classroom learning.
Klingner applies her expertise in special education,
bilingual education, and language acquisition to
conduct detailed experimental studies of instructional
interventions designed to teach reading comprehension strategies in collaborative groups. At the same
time, she is also able to step out of classroom-focused
research and examine policy structures that would
lead to more appropriate placements in special education and to more effective interventions.
In their recent report on curricular stratification,
for example, Welner and his colleagues summarized
the well-established findings showing that students
in low-ability classes receive poorer instruction and
constrained learning opportunities. But the real importance of their work came when they documented
the key features of successful reforms that “leveled
up” the academic performance of low-track students
without ever watering down the academically
demanding curriculum for high-track students. Their
policy brief also offered specific legislative language
that would effectively implement their detailed
recommendations.
Professor Ken Howe was the founding director of the Education and the Public Interest Center
(EPIC). In 2000, he and Professor Margaret Eisenhart
carried out a comprehensive study of Boulder Valley’s
open enrollment policy. They conducted extensive
interviews with parents and educators, examined
cost data, and analyzed student movement in and out
of neighborhood schools. They reported generally
high levels of parent satisfaction, especially for those
exercising school choice, but also found that choice
exacerbated racial stratification (beyond what could
be attributed to housing patterns) and increased
resource inequities among schools.
Professor Janette Klingner, who authored the
“Eye on Research” article about disproportional-
The Boulder school choice study had an immediate and substantial impact on policy and practice,
For more than two decades faculty in the CU-Boulder
illustrating the significance of EPIC policy research.
A partner school district was able to engage distinguished researchers to evaluate a controversial
local policy, and the study had a national impact
because of its comprehensive examination of a
key educational policy. Locally, the Boulder Valley
School Board took up the issue of racial stratification
and implemented several policies to mitigate the
unintended consequence of school choice—including centralizing choice procedures, augmenting
high-needs schools’ fundraising as well as providing them additional district funding, and moving
programs or implementing new ones to help redress
stratification.
Assessment policy is another area of great
importance where School of Education faculty
are informing practice with a combined focus on
highly technical research and subject matter expertise in literacy and bi-literacy. Looking around
the School, I see educators and educational
researchers who pursued this career because they
wanted to make a difference, so it is not surprising that so many of us are directing our work to
impact policy decisions. Q
Lorrie Shepard, Dean
[email protected]
EPIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
our Fellows. Being a Fellow helps us accomplish an important career goal generally unavailable through
normal channels.”
One key way that EPIC/EPRU communicates research is by commissioning experts to write policy
briefs and think tank reviews. The policy briefs offer understandable summaries of expert knowledge about
a particular topic. For instance, a recent brief on “Universal Access to a Quality Education: Research and
Recommendations for the Elimination of Curricular Stratification,” showed the benefits of challenging and
engaging all students with high-level classes. Think tank reviews highlight the strengths and weaknesses
of reports intended to influence policy but that would otherwise not be peer reviewed. Recent think tank
reviews covered topics such as charter schools, teacher quality, and national standards.
Clockwise from top left: Bethy Leonardi, Kevin Welner,
Nikki McCord, and Wendy Chi. Leonardi and Chi are PhD
students who assist with research for EPIC. Welner is the
EPIC director and McCord will support the IDEAL program.
Missing from the photo is PhD student Amy Subert.
2
Welner said EPIC “advocates in two senses.” The group focuses on the public interest served by public
schooling, and it is highly supportive of excellent public schools being available to all students on an equitable basis. In addition, the group advocates the use of high-quality research in policymaking.
With its combination of in-depth research and an emphasis on the public interest, EPIC provides a valuable resource for those interested in making effective, equitable changes in public schooling. Q
Photo by Michelle Meiklejohn from FreeDigitalPhotos.net
“This was one of the most
meaningful volunteer
experiences I have ever
had.”
WISE awardees
What a fantastic beginning—with donors contributing $3,000 (over three years), the new members of
Mary Ann Winter Looney
WISE Member
WISE, Women Investing in the School of Education, were given the rare opportunity to collectively decide
how to spend their pooled resources.
With nearly $20,000 to allocate the first year, members determined guidelines for giving and recipient
eligibility, then they reviewed proposals, heard directly from the faculty themselves, and ultimately voted how
to spend their money. WISE member Mary Ann Winter Looney said, “This was one of the most meaningful
volunteer experiences I have ever had.”
WISE INAUGURAL MEMBERS
School of Education faculty submitted 15 proposals and the following four were selected
for funding:
Q
Susan Marine
Carol Coburn
Janet Orton
Jane Daniels
Barbara Quinlan
Melissa DeKieffer
Judith Rimple
Yvonne DiStefano
Karen Shay
Martha Evans
Mary Steinbrecher
Patricia Hagerty
Celeste Woodley
Jo Kearney
Patricia Hueni
Q
Karen Germann—$4,795, Interactive Learning Technology
Q
Vicki Hand—$4,200, Recruiting Students of Diverse Backgrounds into Teaching Math
and Science
Q
Mary Ann Looney
Julia Charles
Elizabeth Dutro/Ruben Donato—$5,000, Recruiting and Supporting Students of Color
and Researchers for the School of Education
Linda Caldwell
Jennie Whitcomb—$5,000, Using the Quality Urban Classroom for Feedback in the
Teacher Ed Program. Q
Paula Klein
Your will may be your way to nourish
promising, bright minds. Build the educators
of tomorrow. Illuminate new thinking.
Spark discoveries.
When there’s a will,
there’s a way.
dream big
So dream big. Support your passion, make
a real difference, and leave your imprint on
the School of Education (and, perhaps, your
mark on the world) with a bequest.
a difference
To find out how easy it is to make a gift
through your will, obtain sample bequest
language, or learn about other planned
giving options, contact Margot Neufeld at
303.492.2990 or [email protected].
support your passion
Partnering to build the educators of tomorrow.
3
educa
Four donors:
One common theme for giving back
by Margot Neufeld
For many people, charitable giving through
The School of
Education
and WISE
(Women Investing
in the School of Education)
invite other women
to discover
the joys of giving together
WISE Membership Tea
May 27
2-4 p.m.
Niwot, Colorado
This tea, held in a WISE
member’s home, gives you a
chance to meet the inaugural
WISE women and discover if this
giving-circle approach resonates
with you. Please contact Senior
Director of Development
Margot Neufeld, 303-492-2990,
[email protected],
for location information
and to RSVP.
4
2
estate plans (bequests, wills, gift annuities,
and other assets) makes a lot of sense. Here
are accounts from four people who named the
CU-Boulder School of Education in their estate
plans. We want to thank them, and perhaps, one
of these stories might inspire other donors and
alumni to consider giving back in this way.
Carol Reynolds is another three-degree
CU Boulder graduate. She had a long career
as a teacher in Colorado; she and her husband
Charles recently established the Carol Robinson
Reynolds and Charles L. Reynolds Endowed
Scholarship, which will support graduate students in Education. When asked why she chose
to give a scholarship and leave the School of
Education in their estate plans she said, “I had an
excellent education. My husband and I looked
at other non-profits for charitable giving and we
chose to support CU because we felt like we
should give back and make it
possible for others to get the
same experience I did.” Though
Carol lives in Texas, she is a
Buff through and through.
Susan Marine is a not an alumna of CU or the
School of Education. She is however, passionately
committed to public education as a means to advancing a democratic society. She
is a former member of the Boulder Valley School Board and a
current member of the School
of Education’s Development
Advisory Board. A sociologist
Barbara Vogel Boyd came
by training, she appreciates that
to
the
University of Colorado to
quality teaching is the heart of a
be
the
feature baton twirler. She
good school. When she decided
received
her B.S. in Education
to make a gift to the University,
in
1975
and
is a teacher and
she chose to name the School of
avid
CU
football
fan. In 1990
Education as a beneficiary of her
she
and
her
husband
John
estate plans. “This was a very
Boyd,
adjunct
professor,
CU
positive experience. I feel very
Law
School,
decided
to
put
CU
good about this gift—it gives me
in
their
estate
plans.
Recently
peace of mind to know that I am
Barbara Vogel Boyd
she said, “I feel a strong obligaSchool of Education Alumna
taking care of something that is
tion to repay the university for
important to me—and besides, it
shaping my life. I have supis a great investment.”
ported CU by serving the alumni and volunteerDr. Sidney Weathermon is Texas-born but
ing for the School of Education. John and I want
a Coloradan at heart. He is an alumnus of the
to support CU with a gift as well because we
School of Education three times—and rememwant the university to continue to be the best it
bers his advisor, Ken Husbands, with great affeccan be.”
tion. Sid started teaching in Boulder in 1962 and
If you are interested in giving back to the
enjoyed a 33-year teaching career. Retired now,
School of Education, please contact Senior Direchis estate plans have included the School of
tor of Development Margot Neufeld, 303-492Education since 1991. “Our country needs good
teachers,” he says. “I am thrilled to help someone 2990, [email protected], or visit the
CU Foundation site at http://www.cufund.org/
else get an education so that they can help other
guide-to-giving/ways-to-give/. CU Foundation
people. You know, I just love this place,” he said
of the university, “so it made sense for me to give advisors will assist with matching your desires to
an appropriate giving plan. Q
back by helping aspiring teachers at CU.”
“I feel a strong
obligation
to repay the
university for
shaping
my life.”
eye on research
by Janette Klingner
Special education
Understanding and addressing the disproportionate
representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students
When I was a Bilingual Resource Specialist in California in the
1980s, one of my responsibilities was to help prevent the inappropriate placement of English language learners in special education. As part of this effort, I participated on Child Study Team
and Individualized Educational Plan (IEP)1 meetings at schools
around the district to support the special education decisionmaking process. It was at these meetings that teams decided
whether to evaluate students for possible placement in special
education and reviewed assessment and other data to determine
whether students qualified for special education. My role was to
serve as the expert on distinguishing learning disabilities from
language acquisition. I greatly valued this work because I felt
as though I was making a positive difference in children’s lives.
Thus, when my colleague Beth Harry invited me to co-submit a
grant proposal to investigate the disproportionate representation
of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education several years later, after I had earned a PhD and become a
professor, I jumped at the chance. We were awarded the grant.
For three years, Beth and I used ethnographic methods to
study the special education referral and placement process for
Black and Hispanic students of various ethnicities (e.g., African
American, Haitian, Cuban, and Nicaraguan) in a large school
district in the southeastern region of the United States. The
purposes of the project were to: (a) understand and explain how
the processes used to identify, assess, and place culturally and
linguistically diverse students in high-incidence special education
programs possibly contributed to their over-representation in
such programs; and (b) identify referral and placement decisionmaking processes that successfully prevented over-identification
and overrepresentation while also providing beneficial educational outcomes for students.
We based the conceptual framework for our work on the
National Academy of Sciences’ report (Heller, Holtzman, &
Messick, 1982) on overrepresentation, which concluded that if
any aspect of the curriculum and instruction in general or special
education programs, the referral process, or the evaluation is
problematic, then overrepresentation of a particular group must
be seen as problematic. Our research examined children’s experiences throughout these phases to determine factors that lead to
overrepresentation.
We used a funnel-like approach to data collection, moving
1
from a broad description of county-wide placement rates and
referral/placement policies, to an examination of the implementation of the referral/placement policies in 12 schools, to
individual case studies of 12 students. We purposively selected
the 12 schools to represent a range in ethnicity, socio-economic
status, language, and schools’ rates of referral. We observed in
every primary and special education classroom in each of the 12
schools (with few exceptions), and interviewed administrators,
teachers, and other support personnel in each school. Then we
selected two teachers and their students from each school for
additional observations. These 24 teachers represented a range in
ethnicity, years teaching, grade level, teaching style and skill, and
referral rate. Finally, we selected 12 students for in-depth case
studies. Students reflected a range in ethnicity, English language
proficiency, grade level, gender, and possible disability. We observed students in their general education classrooms, followed
them through the referral and placement process, observed
the meetings where they were identified as having a disability,
and observed them in their special education classrooms. We
interviewed them, their parents, their teachers, and other support
personnel. School teams determined that five of the students had
learning disabilities, three had cognitive disabilities, and four had
emotional or behavioral disorders.
We found that many factors affected the placement process
and challenged the belief that identification for special education
represents “real,” within-child disabilities in students. The factors
that contribute to children being perceived as disabled include a
complex weave of beliefs, policies, and practices at all levels—
the family and community, the classroom, school building,
school district, state and federal government, and the society at
large. These included:
External pressures on schools: the state’s
accountability system
1. Pressure to do well on the state’s high stakes test that
led to a push to identify students for special education
“before their scores count and can hurt the school.”
In other words, some principals identified students with
low achievement scores they thought might not do well
on the state exam and encouraged psychologists to
evaluate them. It should be noted that this was before the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Student support teams are also referred to as child study teams. IEP meetings are also referred to as staffings, placement conferences, or multidisciplinary team meetings.
5
From left to right: Elizabeth Kozleski, Arizona State University;
Beth Harry, University of Miami; Alfredo Artiles, Arizona State
University; Janette Klingner, University of Colorado at Boulder; and
Grace Zamora Durán, U.S. Department of Education at an
NCCRESt event.
eye on research
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
state included the scores of special education students when rating school
performance.
General education: pre-referral phase
2. Poor instruction in general education classrooms, particularly in those
schools serving the lowest-income, predominantly Black neighborhoods.
3. Lack of general education rather than special education support programs
for those students who seemed to be struggling. Many school personnel
conveyed that they had no viable alternatives for getting assistance for
students other than placing them in special education.
4. Lack of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) strategies or
culturally responsive pedagogy in some schools and many classrooms.
5. Pervasive negative attitudes about families, and a predisposition to blame
them for children’s struggles in school.
Administrative decisions
6. Hectic schedules, frequent interruptions, and conflicting curricular demands
that allowed for very little sustained, focused instructional time.
7. Hiring practices that placed the “best” teachers in the “best” schools rather
than the highest-need schools.
8. Discipline policies that in some cases relied too heavily on suspension
(ranging from 1 student suspended out of a population of 1,379 over a
period of a year in one school to 102 out of 603 in another school) rather
than other approaches for helping students learn appropriate schoolsanctioned behaviors. Also, many classroom teachers believed that they
were not receiving adequate support from their school administrators.
Referral phase
9. Inadequate intervention strategies prior to or during the referral process.
10. Little discussion re: language proficiency at Child Study Team and IEP
meetings (even for children still not considered fully proficient in English).
11. No attention to the classroom context when considering whether to refer a
child for an evaluation.
Assessment and placement phase
12. The variability of the assessment process and its susceptibility to influence
by numerous factors, including:
a. preconceived beliefs about the causes of children’s struggles,
b. pressure for placement from teachers and/or administrators,
c. exclusion of relevant information on the quality of classroom instruction
or the effects of the classroom environment on children’s learning and
behavior, and
d. inadequate consideration of language proficiency.
13. Misapplication of identification criteria when making decisions about
disabilities.
Special education placement
14. Special education placement that was further compromised by the variable
quality of the programs into which children were placed. The main factors
affecting quality seemed to be teacher quality and class size.
15. Overly restrictive placement for some students in self-contained special
education classes. Such students rarely were “mainstreamed” in general
education classrooms for a portion of their day, as stipulated by special
education law.
These findings led to changes in how the school district in which we conducted our research evaluated struggling students for possible special education
placement. Our research also has helped the field understand the complex factors
that can contribute to the disproportionate representation of culturally and
linguistically diverse students in special education.
This research resulted in two books by Teachers College Press (2006 and
2007), nine journal articles and two book chapters, and numerous conference and
workshop presentations. Our book, Why are so many minority students in special
education? Understanding race and disability in schools, became a Teachers
College Press bestseller (Harry & Klingner, 2006).
Soon after Beth Harry and I completed our research project, the federal government funded us to establish a technical assistance center focused on addressing
disproportionate representation, the National Center for Culturally Responsive
Educational Systems (NCCRESt) (with Alfredo Artiles and Elizabeth Kozleski).
Through NCCRESt, I continued to explore issues related to disproportionate representation, particularly how to address the complex causes of the phenomenon.
I was the lead author on a conceptual framework paper published by NCCRESt
(Klingner et al., 2005). We suggested a systems change model for addressing
disproportionate representation and closing the achievement gap. The cornerstone
of our approach was to create culturally responsive educational systems. Our goals
were to assist practitioners, researchers, and policymakers in coalescing around
culturally responsive, evidence-based interventions and strategic improvements in
practice and policy to improve students’ opportunities to learn in general education and to reduce inappropriate referrals to and placement in special education.
Most recently, my School of Education colleague Leonard Baca and I were
funded by the U.S. Department of Education to lead an Equity Assistance Center,
the BUENO EAC. Our mission is to ensure educational equity for all students
regardless of race, sex, national origin, or language. We assist public school staff,
and state and tribal education agencies in providing equitable, high-quality
education to all learners within our region: Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. Thus, as part of our work, we help school personnel address the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically
diverse students in special education.
I continue to do all I can to make sure that culturally and linguistically diverse
students receive a culturally and linguistically responsive and appropriate
education. In 2004, the federal government enacted a special education law that
changed the way school personnel determine which students have learning
disabilities, by looking at the extent to which they respond to research-based interventions. This is referred to as a Response to Intervention (RTI) model. Drawing on
what I have learned from my research, I now focus on helping educators consider
how best to implement RTI in culturally and linguistically diverse schools. Q
References
Harry, B., & Klingner, J. K. (2006). Why are so many minority students in special education?
Understanding race and disability in schools. New York: Teachers College Press.
Klingner, J. K., Artiles, A. J., Kozleski, E., Harry, B., Zion, S., Tate, W., Durán, G. Z., & Riley,
D. (2005). Addressing the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse
students in special education through culturally responsive educational systems. Education Policy
Analysis Archives, 13(38), 1-39. Available at http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v13n38/.
Klingner, J. K., & Harry, B. (2006). The special education referral and decision-making
process for English Language Learners: Child study team meetings and staffings. Teachers College
Record, 108, 2247-2281.
6
Lew Romagnano:
Alumnus remembered
The School of Education will miss devoted friend, alumnus, and colleague Lew Romagnano, who passed away at his home
in Louisville, Colo., Jan. 11 following a brief illness. Romagnano earned his PhD at CU-Boulder in 1991 and was a professor of
mathematical sciences at Metropolitan State College of Denver. He earned his MS in 1978 from Northern Arizona University and
his BS from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1973. The following remarks form a heartfelt tribute to his legacy.
Dr. Romagnano leaves behind a legacy of
mathematics leadership in Colorado and the nation
through his work with in-service and prospective
teachers, his contributions to mathematics education
research, and his leadership in the development of the
original and newly revised Colorado math standards. Beyond this enormous impact on mathematics education, Lew inspired everyone he knew with
his great intellect and passion, and he warmed us
with his compassion and wonderful sense of humor.
He will be greatly missed.
Margaret Eisenhart
Distinguished Professor
School of Education
University of Colorado at Boulder
Lew, my friend and colleague, had many wonderful traits, but none was greater than his kindness,
immediately evident by the twinkle in his eyes and his
contagious smile. I first met Lew when I was a new
graduate student and he a seasoned veteran, and despite the fact that his superior intellect and extensive
experience dwarfed my own, he always approached
our relationship as one of colleagues and collaborators. While his passion for mathematics education is
legendary in Colorado and at the national level, he
was also a philosopher, an avid runner, extremely
well read and very funny. He inspired many people,
especially educators, to share the best of themselves
with others. It is a blessing to have known such a
beautiful person, and a profound sadness to have lost
his presence.
Maurene Flory
Mental Health Program
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
Lew was not just interested in mathematics,
in teaching, in students, and in teachers; he was
passionate about each of them. It was not enough
that he had a deep understanding of mathematics;
he wanted his prospective and current teachers to
have it too—and teachers of every grade, not just
high school. And, he wanted K-12 students to develop
those same understandings. So he was not so much
interested in “explaining” mathematics to students at
all levels, but in empowering them to become mathematicians in their approach to the discipline and in
enabling them to explain it to themselves.
Roberta Flexer
Associate Professor Emerita, Mathematics Education
School of Education
University of Colorado at Boulder
It’s hard to believe that our colleague and friend
Lew Romagnano is no longer with us—at least not
in person. Seems like only yesterday when we were
new kids on the chopping block in the PhD program
at the CU School of Ed. A quirky cadre of folks—both
students and faculty—arrived there in the late ‘80s
and early ‘90s. There were lots of intellectual sparks
flying around (occasionally blood), and lots of laughs
up in the grad student office at the end of the second
floor hall. Lew was always in the middle of it all. He
was the smartest guy in the room (I won’t dare to
comment on the smartest woman!)—his insights about
making mathematics meaningful and worthwhile for
“just plain folks”—not just math geeks—were up there
with the leaders in the field. Lew was a guy who was
comfortable in his own skin and who instantly made
others feel cared about. Sweet Lew, you will be missed!
Paul D. Deering, PhD
Professor
College of Education
University of Hawai‘i
Romagnano is survived by his wife, Ellen J.
Helberg; mother, Charlotte Casten; sister, Beth
Friedman; a great-aunt, two nephews, and several
cousins. The above testimonials are edited accounts.
For the full version, please visit:
http://www.colorado.edu/education/. Q
Camilli joins Research and Evaluation Methodology faculty
Gregory Camilli received his PhD in Education from the Research and Evaluation
Methodology Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Prior to accepting
his faculty position at CU, he spent 23 years at Rutgers, The State University of New
Jersey. In addition to teaching methodology classes in statistics, measurement, and
meta-analysis, his research interests have focused on early education interventions,
school factors in mathematics achievement, and multilevel item response theory
(IRT) models. Camilli recently completed a term as co-editor of Educational Researcher and also serves as an associate editor of the Journal of Educational and
Behavioral Statistics. He is also a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for
the state assessment program of New Jersey.
Most recently, his research has appeared in the Teachers College Record,
Reading Research Quarterly, Journal of Educational Measurement, Journal
of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, and Educational Measurement,
Fourth Edition. His current research projects include
the effects of affirmative action in law school admissions, the use of multilevel IRT modeling for identifying test items that are sensitive to instructional effects
and the characteristics of different student populations, and Bayesian regression for meta-analysis. His
research has been funded by the National Science
Foundation, the Law School Admission Council, the Pew Charitable Trusts,
and the National Center for Early Education Research.
Camilli is impressed by the School of Education faculty’s knowledge
of current methodological and policy education research and how well the
graduate students are supported. He joins the Research and Evaluation Methodology faculty as a professor. Q
7
education
A conversation with Stephen Hodge, PhD
Bob Roggow (’72), left, interviewed his former advisor and
mentor, Associate Professor Emeritus Steve Hodge (’77).
by Bob Roggow
According to Steve Hartman of CBS Evening News, “Everybody Has a Story,” as
his award-winning program proves. I was reminded of this after a recent
conversation with Dr. Stephen Hodge, retired associate professor emeritus of the
School of Education. Steve does have a most intriguing and unique story.
Steve grew up in Sacramento, Calif., in an ethnically diverse community. He
related that he did not distinguish himself in high school, and in fact, received less
than average grades. After graduation, believing he was not college material, he
enlisted in the Air Force with the expectation that this experience would help him
realize a career as a police officer. Shortly after enlisting, Steve began a relatively
rapid, and unexpected, journey that led to a doctorate in educational psychology
from the University of Missouri. This journey evolved due to the recognition of his
intellectual talents, his discipline, timing, and mentoring by a variety of people.
Early during his military service, Steve received training in the Russian language
which he mastered in six months. He was subsequently placed as an interpreter
in the post World War II sector of Germany controlled by the Russians where, in
fact, he was secretly helping to monitor Russian military planes and their locations
in Eastern Europe. During his time in Berlin, he became fascinated with orphaned
German children who lived in “holes” beneath the rubble of destroyed parts of the
city. His day-to-day contact and interaction with these children helped motivate Steve
to pursue an elementary teaching certificate through Sacramento State University in
California following his military service. His intention was to teach.
During his senior year of undergraduate school, a professor encouraged Steve
to enter a three-year doctoral program in educational psychology at the University
of Missouri. He was given a teaching position in 1962 and completed the doctorate
in 1964. Involvement with a Lab School on the Missouri campus further enhanced
Steve’s interest and knowledge base of children and their development. This
experience had an added bonus: Steve met Nancy, now his wife of 46 years.
In 1965, Steve accepted a position at the University of Colorado to teach
“individual differences” in the School of Education. Two years later he initiated
the formation of the School Psychology Program per request of the Colorado
Department of Education. Until his retirement in 1997, Steve remained the
heart and soul of this program.
Steve desired to be a teacher first and foremost, electing not to pursue
Would you like to
become a mentor?
publishing, feeling strongly that “my publications were my students.” He believed
that there was a “mass of (published) material out there and that it was my job to
be reading and listening to that and passing it on.” As far as Steve was concerned,
he taught the most “interesting and interested students” in the School of Education
and described them as a unique group whose priority was learning.
I surveyed a sampling of Steve’s graduate students who agree with me that
we were very fortunate to have him as a teacher and mentor. The education we
experienced under Steve prepared us well for our future careers. His intellect,
personalized teaching style, support, and most importantly, his passionate
emphasis on the uniqueness of individuals and their individual differences, were
gifts he shared with all his students.
Steve’s passion for his past students is most evident in his comments and tone.
He believes that he was the only professor in the School of Education to put the
names of all his graduates on his office door. He further believes that the list was
there the day he last walked out of his office. The love and respect Steve has for his
students is further manifested in his home office. Next to his computer is a complete
list of all his students. He states: “They’re always with me!” Near the top of this list is
the following: “MY GRADUATES: A treasure shared is all the more enriching!”
Retirement in 1997 offered Steve and Nancy the opportunity to spend more
time with their son, Stephan, Jr.; daughter-in-law, Debbie; and grandsons, Stephan
and Michael who live in Lafayette. Additionally, they have been able to pursue
several interests, including reading (Steve estimates that he and Nancy have read
more than 4,000 books between them), collecting art pieces, and traveling. Steve
also has a passion and talent for wood sculpturing and has donated some pieces to
churches, friends, and relatives.
Steve described his Air Force days as a “quiet time in his life” (listening
to Russian pilots) and his 32-year teaching career at CU as a “talking time.”
Retirement has allowed him to return to a “quiet time” again. He
commented that he occasionally wrestles with contributing more to his
community. I found this to be an interesting comment (but not surprising)
for a teacher/mentor who has made such positive differences for so many
people. When I mentioned this to him, his response was simply, “They
made a difference to me!” Q
Are you interested in mentoring students? The Phi Delta Kappa (PDK) Board recently met Patti Ashley, program
coordinator of the Boulder Valley School District’s Community Access Mentoring (CAM) program. This project
offers middle-school students unique mentoring and after-school program options.
Mentors commit to meet with their students once a week during school hours for a full year. Mentors build
a positive relationship with the students as well as help research and locate appropriate after-school programs
for them. Prospective mentors also receive three hours of training.
Contact Ashley for additional information: 720-203-6844, [email protected], or www.bvsd.org/mentor.
Phi Delta Kappa
8
Do you want to become a member of the local PDK chapter or renew an old membership? Perform this
simple process online at http://www.pdkintl.org/join/index.htm. For more information on PDK, visit
http://www.pdkintl.org/about/index.htm. Q
School of Education
University of Colorado at Boulder
124 Education Building
249 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0249
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Obama and DiStefano promote STEM
Chancellor Phil DiStefano was at the White House Jan. 6 in a meeting with President Barack Obama to
promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. Chancellor DiStefano was among
only four public research university leaders at the meeting, representing 120 universities committed to STEM
initiatives. At the event, the university leaders hand delivered a letter to the president pledging: “Together,
our institutions committing to the Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative (SMTI) will strive to increase
the number of new science and mathematics teachers we prepare to more than 10,000 annually by 2015, for
an additional 7,500 new teachers over the next five years.”
“In recent years, a good number of public research universities have begun to address the issue of
science and mathematics education and teacher preparation,” said DiStefano. “Working through SMTI will
enable our institutions to significantly impact science and mathematics education in our states and across the
nation. It is a matter of economic security and global competitiveness.”
CU-Boulder is a prominent leader in STEM education, influencing policy and transforming the way
STEM classes are taught—in fact, our interactive teaching methods, such as the Learning Assistant model, are
being emulated on campuses across the country. The School of Education faculty conduct significant STEM
research and actively recruit CU’s best math and science students into the challenging career of teaching.
If you would like to support CU students involved in STEM initiatives, go to the following link and insert
STEM in the gift comments box:
http://www.cufund.org/giving-opportunities/fund-description/?id=3541. Q
Chancellor DiStefano (right center) met with President
Obama and committed to increase the number of
STEM teachers graduating from CU-Boulder.
AP photo/Charles Dharapak
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT BOULDER
Published by the School of Education,
University of Colorado at Boulder
www.colorado.edu/education
Lorrie A. Shepard, Dean
Barbara Darling
Editor
Director of Communications
and Alumni Relations
303-492-9019
Design and production
Epicenter Creative, Inc.
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Copyright © 2010
The Regents of the University of Colorado
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